Bucking the Trend Crystal Determined to succeed in a Mans World

Being a woman in a male dominated trade can be quite daunting, but it did not stop Crystal from chasing her dream job. With the help of The Apprenticeship Community, Crystal is now well on her way to becoming a Fitter and Machinist.

Crystal had always been interested in art, and loved helping out her dad on projects around the home. After finishing high school, Crystal completed her Certificate II in Engineering. She spoke extensively with her trainer and they all agreed that Fitting and Machining was a great match for Crystal’s skills. Her next step was to obtain an apprenticeship to secure her trade certificate.

Crystal started applying for apprenticeships in her local area. There were many candidates vying for the same roles, almost all of them male. After a number of knockbacks, Crystal began to realise she was in the minority. In fact, one employer told her straight out that females did not belong in this type of trade.

Undeterred, Crystal kept trying, and after four months she gained an opportunity with Mangelsdorf Engineering, under workshop manager, Tom Briggs. To help make the sign-up process as smooth as possible, Crystal engaged The Apprenticeship Community. Her consultant helped Crystal and Tom to complete all the paperwork, and connected Crystal with the local TAFE to deliver her training.

Being a woman in a male dominated industry can bring its own challenges, so Crystal has been assigned a personal Apprenticeship Community Mentor, who regularly checks on her progress and is on hand to handle any issues that may arise during her apprenticeship.

So far, things are going really well for Crystal. Tom says she is making great progress, is a proactive employee and is getting along well with the rest of the team. Her aim is to complete her trade certificate within the next three years. And both parties are really happy to have one central point of contact in The Apprenticeship Community for anything that comes up along the way, be it funding, training or mentoring.

After completing her apprenticeship, Crystal will have the option of either remaining in a workshop environment, or working on site. The good news is that her apprenticeship will help her make this decision, because she is gaining practical experience alongside her qualifications. Crystal’s advice to other like-minded young women is to ignore the stereotypes and go out there and give trades a go!